Saving Grace
by mymish
Summary: Goodbyes are never easy, but in some cases, inevitable and necessary. Death is meant to be forever, but exceptions can be possible.


Tears ran down her face, blurring her vision as she looked at the man in front of her. "I beg you to stay," she cried out, but her voice betrayed her, her plea coming out as nothing more than a whisper, "You don't have to do this, there's another way out of this!"

"I can't go back now, Sakura," his voice was as deep and comforting as ever. Everyone else wouldn't see the slightest emotion behind his facade, but she, oh she could see the hurt in his eyes, no matter how many tears would try to blind her. "There's too much blood on my hands. Nothing could ever undo the things I've done in my life."

She couldn't here any more of it. Of course, Sakura knew about the lives he'd ended with his bare hands. He'd lived his life known as a murderer, his crimson eyes a symbol of how many blood he'd shed. Although knowing that, Sakura had always seen behind his actions. He wasn't the killer everyone believed him to be. To her, he had always been Itachi Uchiha, the man who avoided death if possible because he'd seen too many people die at a young age.

"There doesn't have to be something else, Itachi. Just stay here with me. You don't have to end your life like this. You're worth more than that!" Her feet carried her small figure into his arms and as she embraced his warm body, she was all safe and sound, listening to his steady strong heartbeat.

"We will find a place to live and not a soul will ever find us. No one will ever find out what really happened, and who pushed you into your actions. The name of the Uchiha will remain in honour," Sakura burried her face deeper in his cloak, "We will stay safe, and I'll do anything to keep Sasuke away from you if you just stay with me."

Her suffering cries constricted his throat; no words of assurances and promises could leave his mouth. Eventually, his strong arms embraced her trembling body, giving her the steady support she craved for. For a moment both of them found themselves in their save heaven. "I need you, Itachi," the young woman sobbed, "Don't leave me like your brother did..." The fact that she would only mention Sasuke as his brother proved how much distance she'd put between him and herself. Itachi sighed, empty, exhausted and tired. It hurt him to bring distance between himself and the woman he'd learned to love and as he looked at her, an arms-length distance between their bodies, he found her broken and lost. As much as it hurt, he had to do it; had to leave her behind alone and alive, while he would die at the hands of his brother. His index finger found her chin, carefully bringing his face closer to his; a soft kiss touching her lips. Before he could break away, her arms flew around his neck, holding him tighter, closer than possible. She brought their lips together once more; the kiss filled with so much desperation, hunger and need - giving him a taste of how she felt at his moment.

The desire to stay with her grew with every passing second they kissed exponentially. He had to leave right now, otherwise he wouldn't be able to leave her side. Eventually they broke away, their faces still close, in the need of air their hot breath brushed their faces. His beautiful black eyes closed for a moment and when they opened they were all red, the crimson colour only being interruptedby the three tomoe in his eyes. She felt his hand resting at the back of her head, their foreheads resting against another. "Sakura," his voice was nothing than a mere hush,

"Before you came into my life there was nothing but darkness and pain. The path I've walked was lonely and full of lies, but you put a stop to it. You saved my long lost soul, grabbed my hand and brought me back to the world of light. I wish we could live another life, some where we may be happy and in peace, but this is not our time.

"When I'm gone, Sasuke will need a hand that holds him, like you held mine for so long. Your grace saved my soul, and so it will save my brother. Do not see him as my end, because I have chosen to die at his hands a long time ago. I am sorry for leaving you behind, but I know your life-longing heart will find a peaceful soul again; one that holds you til the end. I love you, Haruno Sakura, but this is goodbye."

He disintegrated into crows and feathers, leaving behind a shadow of sorrow and heartbreak. How could she ever find back to harmony and happiness, when the reason her heart was longing for life was gone?

* * *

They say time heals every wound that's been born in the past, but now that the 4th Great Ninja War broke out like a strange disease that took too many lives because no one was able to stop it, her heart still suffered deeply under the loss of her love.

Her feet carried her through the battlefield; she took them down one by one as she fought bravely, like the goddess of war, a battle angel. She'd stopped counting on the many enemies she had already taken down, the will to fight was never ending. Although alone, she kept fighting to protect her friend, the only one who'd never given up on her, never left her side no matter the choices she'd made.

As she ran deeper into the woods, away from the battlefield, her mind was in trance but deep down she felt her soul burning. The longing inside her - it had been too long since the last time she'd felt it - grew with every step she made. Before she was able to track down the reason for the sparkles inside her heart, her feet stopped in the middle of no where, with the shadow of a man in front of her.

Her heart stopped for three seconds before it found its rhythm again. Anywhere, no matter where in the universe, would she recognize that silhouette.

Trembling pink lips, crying green eyes, her legs suddenly weak; she walked towards the man who stood with his back to her, knowing who she was. "Itachi...," she came to a halt, a warm breeze blowing pink strands through the air; her hand reached for his back, touching him carefully as though he could possibly vanish in front of her eyes, like a ghost or worse, an imagination. "Is this... really you?"

"Sakura," he turned around, his eyes on her as though right now it was only them, no war separating their souls, "How did you-" She threw her arms around his neck, like he was the only light in her life to clinch on. For a moment he feared his feelings died with him, but it obviously had been the shock to see her, as they came back now stronger than ever before. He couldn't remember where he'd been after his death, but now that he found himself in her arms he realised just how much he'd missed her. Sakura Haruno; His blossom; His light; His saving grace.

"I've missed you so much you reckless idiot," she coughed out in desperate cries, "I love you, Itachi."


End file.
